The anti-poaching ranger that went viral in 2014 after he presented for a selfie with a pair of gorillas has actually paid tribute to 13 associates that were killed in an ambush.

Mathieu Shamavu struck the headings in April 2019 with his honest breeze alongside two huge gorillas he and his fellow guardians were protecting at Virunga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

However, he has currently supplied his condolences to those impacted by the ruthless assault on a dozen of his fellow rangers and one driver last month.

Taking to Twitter, Mr Shamavu wrote (equated from French): “We are united, and we will constantly be strong also during the moment. We hope for tomorrow.”

It follows a spokesperson for Virunga National Park, in the east of the DRC, verified that rangers from the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) and also one noncombatant were killed.

In a statement launched by Virunga National Park, it said the team was ambushed by members of a militant team, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

It reviewed: “It is with wonderful despair that the Congolese Institute of the Conservation of Nature validated the identifications of the Virunga Park Rangers and also employees that tragically lost their lives after a strike on Friday. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims, as well as with the animals whom they secured.

ABEDI IYALU Khadafi, Ranger, aged 23 yearsANUARI BIHIRA Lumumba, Ranger, aged 27 yearsBADI MUKANDAMA Djamali, Ranger, aged 27 yearsFAZILI JUSTIN Junior, Ranger, aged 29 yearsKAMBALE MUTSOMANI Jean-Louis, Ranger, aged 31 yearsKAMBALE TEREMUKA Jules, Ranger, aged 28 yearsKASOLE JANVIER Joseph, Ranger, aged 30 yearsMASUMBUKO MALEKANI Ruphin, Driver, aged 40 yearsMUGISHO KULONDWA Augustin, Ranger, aged 27 yearsMUHINDO ISEVIHANGO Jeannot, Ranger, aged 30 yearsMUHINDO KATEMBO Jacques, Ranger, aged 29 yearsNDAGIJIMANA NDAHOBARI Héritier, Ranger, aged 27 yearsPALUKU KALONDERO Moïse, Ranger, aged 30 years

“Initial investigations indicate that the rangers got on their back to their headwarters when they ran into a civilian automobile that had actually been attacked and also ultimately came under a ferociously violent and sustained ambush. We can validate that the perpetrators of this assault were the armed group ‘FDLR-FOCA’.

Adding: “Our thoughts as well as petitions are tonight with the friends and families of all the victims, consisting of the innocent private citizens, in addition to the injured rangers.”

In a later blog post, the team verified that all 13 people had actually now been buried.

It reviewed: “Yesterday (27 April), we held the funeral services of the rangers and chauffeur eliminated in last week’s terrible strike on the park.”